Paul Saunders

American highly decorated military figure, a United States Navy submarine sailor nicknamed Swish who was twice awarded the Silver Star medal during World War II. The only landing of US military forces on the island of Japan during hostilities included Saunders. The landing party destroyed a 16-car train on the coastal railway with an explosive charge, using a microswitch under the rails to trigger the explosion. He was highly regarded as one of the most decorated enlisted men in the Submarine Service, distinguishing himself during World War II while serving on board the Barb (SS-220). Saunders made all twelve of Barb’s war patrols, five in the Atlantic and seven in the Pacific and was Chief of the Boat (COB) for patrols #9–12. He was also COB for the submarines Cusk (SS-348), Carbonero (SS-337), and Theodore Roosevelt (SSBN-600). He was featured in the book Thunder Below by his USS Barb skipper, Admiral Eugene B. Fluckey. Saunders died on 8 August 2003 at age 85 in Dunnellon, Florida. Link to Wikipedia biography Read less